UK to ban single-use plastic cutlery, plates

LONDON: Single-use plastic plates, cutlery and a host of other items are set to be banned in England from October, the British government has said.

The Department for the Environment said that a new ban will also cover single-use plastic bowls, trays as well as certain types of polystyrene cups and food containers, as the government seeks to curb the “devastating” impact of plastic on the environment.

Department officials said that England uses around 2.7 billion items of single-use cutlery per year, with only 10 per cent recycled.

The change will mean that from October this year, the public will not be able to buy the banned items from retailers, takeaways and food vendors. Under new legislation, it is expected that the ban will be enforced through civil sanctions - but with the possibility of repeated breaches ending up in a criminal offence.

“We all know the absolutely devastating impacts that plastic can have on our environment and wildlife. We have listened to the public and these new single-use plastics bans will continue our vital work to protect the environment for future generations,” Environment Secretary Therese Coffey said.

“I am proud of our efforts in this area: We have banned micro beads, restricted the use of straws, stirrers and cotton buds and our carrier bag charge has successfully cut sales by over 97 per cent in supermarkets.” — dpa